Easing Tensions
by Arones
Summary: He was trying his best to not show her what was happening, he wanted to be strong, to be someone that she could rely on.  EXPLORES Helen/Will relationship through the episodes starting with Kush.
1. Kush

He was trying his best to not show her what was happening, he wanted to be strong, to be someone that she could rely on; he wanted to not be embarrassed at his inability to do something right for once. Will was shivering uncontrollably, his teeth chattering and his body jerking violently against the airplane seat. She had noticed, in her quiet way and it wasn't until he really wasn't pausing in between that she gave up and stood. Will watched carefully as she moved from the seat next to him between him and the window of the crashed plane and went to the tiny room behind him. It was where the food was, well had been since they'd eaten it all by that point.

Everyone was dead. They had gotten up and taken the bodies outside the plane to leave the weather do its work and to separate them from the death that was lurking in every shadow. They had no food, they had very little for heat left and she wanted to save it to heat snow for water to prevent dehydration. He didn't know what she was doing, but he could definitely hear her rustling around behind him. "Magnus?"

She popped her head around the corner and looked over his profile as he tried to turn and see her. "Yeah?"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm almost done." He knew she had left and turned back to whatever it was she was fussing with. Finally she appeared in front of him with a grand smile on her face and snow in her hair. He hadn't even noticed that she had opened the door. "You ready?"

"Ready for what?" His speech was ridiculously slow and he had to work hard to force the words to leave his lips. She pulled him to stand and led him to the tiny room that she had been working in. The room was covered in the sleeping bags that they had found. Four blankets piled on the ground, sleeping bags zipped together and jackets strewn about. She had taken them off the dead bodies that were lying quietly outside their semi-warm cocoon.

She pushed him toward the blankets and he sat down pulling off his boots before slipping under the covers. Moving quickly, Magnus taped and hung up one other blanket to make their room even smaller and closed off. She was trying to preserve the heat that they had left and the heat that they would create. His teeth chattered together so hard that it hurt his jaw. Rubbing at his arms he watched her work in silence until she kneeled down before him. "Here," handing him a mug of heated and warm water she made sure he drank the entire thing before settling into the blankets with him.

The covers were brought over their heads and it took quite some time before their eyes adjusted. He was facing her until she brushed a finger over his cheek. "Turn around." Groaning he did as she asked and moved so that his back was to her. He felt her arm and leg wrap around his body as she moved in close. "You're far too cold, Will." Her face was pressed into the back of his neck where her hot breath tickled the hairs there and created goose bumps all over his skin. He shivered and it was only half because of the cold seeping through his bones.

"Yeah… I think I got that." He replied, trying to keep the mood light.

"Try and get some rest." Her hands didn't move over him but he couldn't help thinking that she was feeling just as awkward about the situation as he was. He closed his eyes and prayed that sleep would take over.

He felt slight movement at his chest and lifted a hand to brush aside whatever it was that was disturbing his slumber. He was shivering again and turned onto his side from his back so that he could try and curl into a ball to adjust and keep in the warmth. He felt hot air on his face as he snuggled his nose into the warm flesh that he was feeling. The rustling at his chest was still happening; he moaned and pressed deeper into the warmth that he was finding. "Will, I need you to lay back?" Sighing he kept his eyes closed and breathed deep drawing in the sweet scent of sweet peas. "Will, lay back." He felt a slight shove at his shoulder and he gave up, rolling onto his back and peeking open an eye.

"Magnus?"

"I need to get warm."

"Mmmmk." He tried to move his hands to the zipper of his jacket but his fingers were brushed away by her own. Now that he was on his back she had the jacket off him relatively quickly shoving it to the top of the sleeping bags by their heads she started on his snow pants. Will thought he was helping but by her jerking movements and vocalizations he figured he wasn't being much help at all.

"Ok, back on your side." He rolled without hesitation and grabbed for her so that he could find the warmth she had forced away from him. "Hold on." A bit more rustling and she had her own jacket shoved up with his and her snow pants off and down by their feet. She once again wrapped arms around him and brought the front of their bodies close together. Her hands were plastered and warm against his back and his face was once again buried within her neck, in the warm spot that he had found and come to be addicted to in such a short amount of time.

His teeth were clinking together again and his voice was sporadic, but he wanted to get the question out. "How… how much lon…ger?"

"I don't know." She pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and relaxed her body. "Rest now, I'll wake you when they come." He was sure it was still dark outside, because there was no light filtering through the layers and layers of cloth strewn over his body.

"Ashley's gonna be mad." He pressed into her more if it was even possible and she chucked.

"Why's that?"

He was humming again as the words tried to form in his mouth. "Crashed."

"I believe she'll be more angry with me for the crashing part."

"All… died."

"Again, probably more angry with me over that." He was moving around and eventually slid his own arms around her middle so he could hold on tight. He made another sound in his through but she didn't get that. "What was that Will?"

"..ost naked."

Magnus grinned broadly, "Well if she doesn't get here soon, we'll end up fully naked and she'll have quite a shock upon arrival." She felt the heat rise to the tops of his skin and smiled at the full body flush that was his undoing. She through about not saying anything, but then thought better. She did want him warm after all. "Does that embarrass you, Will?" Sure enough, the heat rushed forth again and she was smiling into his chin.

"A b-bit…" He was smiling then and she felt his lips move against her neck.

She settled in and fully relaxed against him. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"What does it embarrass you?"

Will was biting his chapped lip until small pieces of skin were being pulled off it. "You-you're hot." His body felt like it was on fire and she pulled back until she could see his eyes.

"Well thank you, William." Her eyes glanced over his face and she stared smiling at him for quite some time. "Sleep now; I'll make you some more hot water when you wake up."

"Th-thought this w-was to get-t you warm."

"Of course it is." She faked a shiver through her own body and moved so that he could once again bury his head into her neck. "Come on, rest some." She settled down and her own eyes were drooping shut slowly, but she wanted to make sure that he was asleep before she dozed off. With no more fear of the Magoi she felt safe letting them both sleep at the same time.

He woke up naked. He was sure of it as much as he was sure that she was damn close to being naked as well. When he drew in a deep breath he felt her sticky and sweaty skin pull from his back and her stomach. He turned, slowly and carefully hoping to not disturb her slumber. He was lucky. She was still sleep with a fist curled by her cheek and her chest rising and falling softly. He figured she must undressed the both of them, he remembered nothing of it, but she must not have slept well. Curling a finger over her cheek he brushed soft hair away from her eyes.

"You can kiss me if you want," her eyes were still closed but her breathing rhythm had changed. "Though I doubt it'll be what you expect."

"I've learned to expect nothing with you." He watched as her lips quirked up lightly and her face bloomed into a sultry and coy smile. He brushed a thumb over her lips letting them part with the movement. "I wasn't lying when I said you were hot."

"I had no doubt of that." Her hand that rested against his hip tightened into a fist, nails lightly scraping the skin. "It's beyond dawn."

"I assumed as much. I seem to be fairing far better."

"True that." Finally her eyes opened and she looked up to see him resting next to her, his face quite close to hers and their breath mingling. He scooted closer and pulled her leg further over his so that she was tilted and leaning against him. "Will?" He didn't answer. "I did give you permission."

"I'm biding my time." She felt the flush race through his body again, but her mind was distracted as his hand brushed down from her cheek to tracer her collar bone before pressing warmly against her abdomen.

She pressed in closer to him, drawing in a deep and tediously slow breath. "You bide your time too long." He ignored her comment and glided his hand back up to her neck pulling her closer but still not letting their lips touch. She was just about to move forward when they both heard the banging on the door until he opened. "That'd be Ashley." Magnus grinned and began to dress while Will rolled onto his back and sighed into the blankets covering his face.


	2. Nubbins

The whole time he'd been in that room with Ashley and the pull she was having on him, his mind kept turning back to Helen and how it was so wrong for him to be anywhere near that position with her daughter of all people. He had been so close to kissing Ashley and not the woman he had wanted to kiss since they'd been stranded in a plane during a blizzard in the Hindu Kush. Now they were yet again on the brink of another crisis although he was definitely seeing the humor in this one. The things looked like Furbies, not that he had owned one but they definitely reminded him of Furbies.

Yet the Nubbins seemed far more devious. He was having a rather hard time understanding that part because there wasn't anything that they had done except one had escaped and this far evaded. He had suspicions about what else the little buggers did besides eat everything in sight, including themselves; there was a certain edge to them that reminded him far more of the evil gremlins than fuzzy Furbies. He chuckled wryly while continuing to walk the hallways. That little stint in her office had done more to him than the twenty minutes he'd spent with Ashley.

He had flashed back to her body pressing warmly against his, the darkness of the blankets covering their heads and the freezing air just an inch away. He had so wanted to lean forward and kiss her again, but he was sure the invitation was no longer open. The sexual tension in the office had been so heightened that he was worse off than being stuck in the plane with her mostly naked, and this time they had been fully clothed. He groaned thinking of the comment about putting the fire out. Could he have been any cheesier with that? And she'd come back with _that_ comment. God he'd about spilled in his pants then. He was sure that she had seen his full erection when he'd stood even though he'd tried to avoid it.

Stopping suddenly he looked around and found himself at the doors to his room. He just needed to fix this problem. He needed to jerk off and fix it then and now, there was no way around it. Pressing open the door he walked inside pulling his shirt off as he went. His jeans were next before he lay heavily on the bed and sighed. He hadn't even turned the lights on, but he didn't care at that moment. He was hoping for sleep to take over him, but his arousal was getting in the way and he was unable to shut his eyes for longer than five minutes without tossing and turning over and over.

An hour or so must have passed before he gave up and licked his palm. He took in a few deep breaths before pressing it to his erection and rubbing soft fingers up and down his length. He sighed at the sensation, it was a wonderful feeling that he had missed in his time at the Sanctuary. He'd only started living there a short while before, but he had yet to have a private moment like this.

Helen was shifting back and forth in her seat. The smoldering look that Will had given her, the movement he had made closer to her had done far more to her body than she would have liked to admit. That and with the previous mission so close in memory, she certainly wasn't putting down the idea either. There was a certain amount of time in a new relationship where things like this could build or they could falter. She had hoped they would falter as their friendship and workship would be far stronger for it, but in moments like these she doubted that thought and prayed to any god that a sexual relationship wouldn't devastate anything they had.

Her skirt was riding higher on her legs and the heat from the fire caused a flush on her cheeks and neck. At least she was blaming it on the fire. Standing suddenly she put out the flames and made her way to his rooms. She would take the chance. Opening the door and flicking on the light, as he would surely be sleeping, she stopped suddenly and turned her back. The sight she had seen had been most unexpected. Will: his body prone, muscles taught, hand on his penis as it stroked headily up and down while his thumb paced over the tip of his erection and his whimpering at every move he made.

She heard him pull the covers over his body and couldn't get the look of shock and pure embarrassment out of her mind's eye. "Dear lord, Will. I'm so sorry." If she could have she would have covered her eyes, but she figured that even with her back turned to him, the throws of embarrassment would have been enough. Surely his cheeks were lobster red and his erection far from being alive and well. "So sorry." She pulled open the door and made a hasty exit leaving Will to his own means.

He sat back and watched her leave, "Magnus." He called it out but it was after she was gone. He groaned and leaned his head back into the soft pillow, his mind reeling from the thoughts of her leaving. That hadn't been good. He couldn't explain anything to her, but she had to know. Certainly she had to know what she did to him.

Magnus was leaning back on her own bed, a long shower had done nothing to relieve the ache between her legs and it was only slowly getting worse. There was only one thing she could do at that point to rid herself of it and she certainly didn't want it to get to that point. She had a feeling that she would be called away on an emergency and it would not be the best thing in the world for her to be caught in such a compromising position. She caught herself sighing again before she huddled down under the covers in the dark of night.

She heard the door creak open not twenty minutes later. Turning on her side she watched as he moved in closer to her, his face inches from her yet his body not touching. Their eyes were watching each other intently and he was not intending to speak. "I'm sorry, Magnus. I shouldn't have."

"It's only natural, Will." She pressed a hand to his cheek and sat her body up so that he could sit beside her hip. She pulled the thin sheet to cover her breasts; she always hated sleeping in bedclothes after washing. It seemed to defeat the purpose in the first place. "I apologize for not knocking."

"Well, that we should certainly make a rule." He was blushing again; she could feel the heat seeping through the blankets and into her skin.

Her hand moved down to grasp his knee, the pause in their conversation awkward yet comfortable. "What is it Will?"

"Nothing," he was smiling again and his chin dipped down to avoid eye contact with her. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

She leaned forward and grasped his face close to his ear, her eyes swirling over his downtrodden features while their breaths mingled once again. They were so close, all she had to do was lean in again and then it would all be over. Neither would be able to keep hands off the other and the moment of intense tension would be gone. "Will." Her eyes dropped shut before slowly opening again to watch as blue made contact with blue. "You can kiss me if you want." Why she kept putting that moment in his field was beyond her, but for some reason she felt as though this all had to be on his part.

"I almost kissed Ashley today."

Her lips quirked. "Did you now?"

"Yeah… but I couldn't stop thinking of you."

His fingers were tracing each of her collar bones again and she had to smile at him. "Do you like my chest?"

The flush crept over his face and body once again heating her through the blankets. "Y-yes." He whispered it, his body momentously inching closer to hers. "I find it quite intriguing."

"And why is that, William?"

"You have freckles…" his eyes trailed up to her face before moving back to where his fingers were. "And scars, but you never see them unless you're close." His hand stopped.

"I did give you permission to kiss me, William and yet again you have not."

"I'm biding my time."

"And once again, you bide your time for too long." She did lean forward then and pressed her lips softly against his, the tension coiling and wrapping in her stomach as she was sure it was doing in his. The moment was soft and tender, just lips to lips and it passed. She moved back away from him grinning as the red in his face remained and his eyes refused to make contact with hers.

The knock at the door disturbed them and she shifted away from him once again, her eyes moving to the wood where she knew her manservant would be. It slowly creaked it open, just as Will had done earlier and started to poke his head around the corner. "I'm coming," she called over Will's shoulder and watched as the door shut again. She turned to the man sitting in front of her. "That'd be my old friend." Pulling the blanket up she began to scoot off the bed so that she could dress.

* * *

><p>AN: I don't know if I should continue with this or not...please tell me what you think. ~~Arones


	3. Requiem

The entire situation was more confusing at that point that it had been at any time before. She had not only tried to kill him, multiple times he should add, but she had also tried to seduce him while being tied to a chair and a gun resting nearby with the safety off. He kept flashing memories of the angry words and actions before he would see the lust that had echoed in her eyes. It was frightening to him. He had never seen her like that before.

She'd yelled. She had yelled and he had been afraid. He had seen the lack of control and her inability to even care about what she was doing to him. She had been like sex on a stick walking around after that thing inside her head had fully taken over; sex on a stick with a very heavy hand that is. Her clothes were drenched and clung to her sides and her curves, pulling tightly when she moved. He'd wanted to touch her, certainly he did but it wasn't her. There was always a chance that she would turn on him, fling her fist and catch him on the chin. Or hit him in the back of the head with a wrench again. She had even pulled the trigger.

He was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that he could be dead. That without the sleight of hand, that wasn't actually that skillful he would be completely dead. And he had killed her. That was something else to contend with. They were back, they were in separate rooms, and had barely even talked since their little conversation while waiting for the sub to reemerge above water. The flight home had been long and uneventful, the drive into the Sanctuary so quiet that his ears were aching to hear her voice. Anything so that he would know she was alright. But all he had was that simple memory of her grasping the side of his head, fingers carding through his hair as he rested his forehead against her once again rising and falling chest.

Rubbing his hands harshly over his unshaven face he grimaced. He hadn't wanted to move his head for such a long time and it wasn't until she turned her body fully into his curling slightly around him that he did move. She had been shivering and he had needed to wrap her tightly in the blanket that he'd pulled from the cot. He'd helped her to sit up and dried her hair as much as he could with the other blanket when she had sat and waited for her tea to brew. Sipping slowly at her tea they had sat in silence barely even glancing at each other.

He eyes slid open when he felt the edge of his bed dip down. There she was sitting there giving him the same look that she had given him all those hours on the underwater vessel, the plane and the car ride home. Her eyes were soft, worrisome and tender. She rested a hand on his leg and looked away towards it distracting herself. "I'm so sorry, Will. I never wanted to put you in that situation."

Nodding he relaxed slightly and leaned against his headboard again. "I know you didn't, but it was bound to happen one day."

She gave a wry smile, "Always does." Will's head turned to the side waiting for her to continue and elaborate, but she didn't. Her voice was sad; it was ringing through his ears and echoing. He didn't wait then. Sitting up and leaning forward and kissed her lightly and softly. Just a touch of his lips to hers, eyes closed and breathing completely calm.

He slid his forehead against hers and broke their easy embrace. "I know you never wanted to put me in that situation, but I knew, after I signed up for this job, that it might be a possibility. You going crazy first not so much, but the possibility of you dying? Yes, that I knew could happen." He pecked her lips quickly. "And it did, and we survived." His hand moved from his lap to her hip and squeezed lightly. He picked up his eyes and looked at her directly. "And it will most likely happen again. It's not something you can control, Magnus, and no one expects you to."

The intake of breath was slow and she didn't dare look at him. Her fingers wound with his and she stayed seated as she was. "I expect to be better able to avoid those types of situations. In all my years I should be better at it by now."

He brushed a thumb over her cheek. "You can't predict the future. Unless you have some hidden ability you haven't told me about. Without that ability and even with it, everything is subject to change by the decisions we make. Life isn't a game of chess with only one player."

The smile that graced her lips was small but given in truth. "Thank you, Will. I think I needed to hear that." She looked at him and felt his thumb brush her mouth; Helen pressed her lips together and kissed the pad of his finger. He moved forward and replaced his thumb with his mouth, rubbing his lips along hers gently until he felt her body sigh.

When her lips parted he sat back and tugged her wrist lightly. He moved his entire body to the center of the bed and patted the seat next to him. "Come on, you need to rest. Doctor's orders." He smirked because he knew that if she weren't her own doctor at such times as these she would certainly be ordered to rest. It took her a minute to react, but she toed off her shoes and leaned down into the mattress, curling her knees and fisting her hand near her cheek with her back turned to him. Will took his hand and brushed her hair lightly until it wasn't in her face any longer and bent down to kiss her cheek.

She turned and took his lips carefully and slowly. Entwining their fingers she held them tightly to her abdomen and parted her lips. She wanted a proper kiss. Obligingly, Will pressed further into her, mouth open. He closed his lips around hers and pulled back before moving in again. Helen's other hand moved up to cup his cheek and her shoulder slid back further to open her body more. Leaning down he ran his tongue across hers tediously and drew in her taste. Her fingers untangled themselves from his and he rested his palm flat against her waist and squeezed lightly, she laid her hand on top of his and rolled her nails softly across the top of his hand.

The body behind her was slowly beginning to heat and she pulled her head back slightly. Will kissed her cheek and forehead before turning her body with his hand and resting fully against her with his face buried in the back of her neck. He waited as minutes passed and her breathing was even. He was sure she wasn't sleeping; he knew she wouldn't in his room, but it didn't matter so long as she was resting. Her neck was warm against his mouth and one quick kiss quickly turned into a second and lingering third. She wiggled slightly in front of him and grasped his hand once more bringing it very tightly around her body.

He nuzzled back into her and let his eyes close while drawing in the sweet scent of her shampoo and body wash. They were two different fragrances, but they complimented each other nicely: raspberries and mangos. He was drifting in and out of sleep, a very light sleep because every time her body moved in the slightest he would wake up and squeeze her fingers. The vibration coming from her pocket was ignored until it went through the second round. She extracted her hand from his and pulled the sleek and slim phone from the pocket of her wrap. Sliding the virtual button to answer she held it to her ear without moving from Will's tight embrace. "Hello?"

He could hear the voice barely as it rambled off. It was a man on the other end, he could tell that, and a Brit as well. He felt her inaudible sigh. "Yeah, I can do that." Again the other person went off speaking quickly. Will was closing his eyes again and hiding in her long locks knowing that she would be leaving the room soon. "I'll need an hour or so before I can get back to you." She waited a second before hanging up the phone and letting out a long breath.

"Emergency?"

"A minor one." She ran her hand over the top of his arm and remained as she was. "Declan called because James refuses to use one of these." She picked up her phone again and wiggled it in her fingers so that he could see it out of the corner of his eye.

"I haven't had the pleasure of meeting James Watson yet."

She hummed, "That's my doing. I'm afraid of what the two of you will discern in each other's presence." Her face turned towards him and Will lifted himself up so he could press lips against hers. Helen drew in a deep breath and held her body still so that he wouldn't move away from her. His tongue what swirling against hers and she was drawing in deep and quick breaths; she sucked his lip between her teeth and scraped the skin lightly when she felt the phone in her hand buzz again. Sighing she kissed him chastely and moved to stand while answering the phone and sliding on her shoes before walking out of the room with one last look in his direction.


	4. End of Nights

She had been gone for weeks on end and Will had rarely if at all spoken to her on the phone. When she's shown back up after begin gone for six weeks he could see the stress lines on her face, the weight that she'd lost and the tension in her shoulders. She had no further information. She had no clue as to where her daughter had gone and her time with John had not been well spent. She had avoided him like he was some sort of plague and he had let her. They'd gone to London and had returned, the weapon was ready but she was far from it. He could sense it in her reticence to speak about anything. It was like pulling teeth when he saw her. He'd known what had to happen even if she didn't want to admit it. They had all hoped for another outcome, for another option to appear before them, but after London they had come to the conclusion that there was no other way. All of them except Helen.

When the alarm sounded he'd lost track of where she was for a time, before everything seemed to suddenly stop. He looked at Henry and his mind flashed to her. He had to find her. He said nothing as he left Henry's side and started down the corridors.

Will ran into the lab to find her sobbing on the floor, her eyes shut the weapon by her side, blood streaking down her arm and her body curled in on itself. He bent down and immediately she curled into his body. They were the only ones in the room for what seemed like minutes but he was sure that it was only seconds. Her face was buried in his chest and the tears were beginning to soak through his shirt. He had his arms around her shoulders and a hand in her hair. He was stroking a hand through her locks gently trying to calm her while at the same time wanting her to let it all out.

The breath caught in her throat when she finally went to speak and she started choking. It took a few seconds for her to gain her bearings. "She's dead. God Will, she's dead." Her body was racking again with relentless tears and cries as the rest of their group entered. John and Nikola stood back looking at each other and avoiding all eye contact of her. The Big Guy shuffled his feet for a moment before bending down to pick up the weapon and set it aside.

Will looked from each person to the next and stared them down. "Would you mind giving us some time?" They all shuffled their feet awkwardly before leaving the vicinity and Helen and Will were alone once again. He adjusted his leg slightly so that he was more comfortable and rocked her back and forth until her sobbing finally began to subside. He was sure she was in shock. He moved his head away and pulled her chin up so that he could look in her eyes. "We need to look at your arm, ok?" She nodded and he wiped a few tears away with his thumb before he started to move.

He had to practically drag her to her feet and she was leaning heavily on his arm and shoulder, her face still have buried in his neck. He gently pulled her head back with his hand on her cheek and kissed her forehead. "Come." He started to move and she quietly followed close by him. He had her set on the infirmary bed and was looking at her arm and the cloth before he decided on how to tackle the injury.

"She's gone." Her eyes were wide and staring. He'd already cut off the sleeve of her shirt and had washed the scratches. She hadn't moved during the entire process.

"Yeah, Magnus. She's gone." He was taping over the wounds; they didn't seem deep enough to stitch. He pressed the edges together and placed the gauze over it before using medical tape. "Want to tell me what happened?"

"She did it. She wouldn't let me." Tears started to roll down her face again just as he finished wrapping her arm. "She did it, Will. She saved my life."

He bent down so that he could look her directly in the eye. "Yeah, Helen. She saved your life. She was an amazing woman." She nodded and attempted to hold in the tears. He stood and brought her face into his chest and held on to her tightly, leaning forward every once in a while to press kisses to her head. "You're fine. You're okay." He started whispering the words when her sobs built up again.

The face against his chest moved back and forth rapidly. "No, she was my baby. My daughter, God, what have I done?"

"You did nothing, she chose this life. You couldn't predict that this would happen. None of this is your fault." She gave a slight nod but he was sure that she remained unconvinced of the matter. "Come on, let's get you to your room. And you need to eat something."

When they made it to her room there was a tray with fruit and hot soup already set up, along with tea and a sprite. Will settled her into a chair by her window and brought the tray over. He pulled open the tab on the sprite and handed it to her, giving her little choice to drink. She needed the sugar. When she didn't bring it to her lips he moved his hand to guide it. She took a long sip before shoving the offending drink away and back into his fingers. He set it aside before handing her some soup.

"You really need to eat something."

Slowly she lifted the spoon to her lips with the warm broth and sipped. She wasn't hungry in the least, but she did recognize the need. Will made her eat a quarter of the bowl before he gave up and took it away. "How could I have let her do that?"

"You didn't let her do anything, Helen. She was an independent, strong-willed, and stubborn woman and she did what she saw needed to be done. For you."

"For me." She was playing with her thumbs, running the tips of the pads over the tops and length of her fingers. "She did it for me."

"Yeah." There was silence and he saw her eyes droop shut to the point of complete closure before being forced back open. "Bed?" She nodded and took her time standing. She wasn't going to bother changing until he stopped her from sliding under the covers and curling into a ball. Carefully he started to pull her shirt up over her head trying to avoid her arm. He moved to her dresser and found a clean long sleeved shirt and loose pants. He handed her the shirt and helped her to pull it over. She stood on her own and began to pull down her pants with no look to where he was standing. Once she was clothed again he let her slip under the covers. He pulled them to her chest and made to move but her arm reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Don't leave just yet."

He nodded. "I was just going to throw out the clothes and grab something to change in. I won't leave." When she didn't release his hand he amended his statement. "Ok, I'll just… um… let me get undressed ok?" Slowly her hand let go and he pulled his clothes over his body until he was just in his boxers. He crawled over her and moved up behind her in the bed. She took his hand and wrapped it around her body staring at the far wall. He hadn't turned the light off, but he was sure that she didn't want him to get up and do just that. Hours passed and he watched her stare. Neither spoke and eventually he felt her drift off lightly before his own weariness took over.

When he woke she was gone. There was a note on the pillow next to him that his face found when he rolled into it. He'd only been asleep for a few hours at most. It read simply, "In my office. Helen." He made little meaning of it. He wouldn't know what to do if he had lost a child so he had no understanding or basis for what she was going through. Not only had she lost her child, she had been the only witness to her death, and she had lost one of her best friends of the last century all within a short few months. Lying on his back he rustled his fingers over his face and drew in a deep breath. It was going to be a long time before Helen Magnus recovered from this last emergency. He expected nothing less as the image of her, sobbing on the cold cement floor of the lab came unbidden into his mind once again.

It was accompanied quickly with the image of Clara. In all the chaos that had ensued he'd had little chance to talk to Helen about the woman. He'd fallen for her like he hadn't fallen for anyone before: hard, fast and face first. Helen had simply let him go with whatever direction he had deemed fit, but he'd seen the look in her eyes when she found them half naked in the labyrinth under the lost city, the surprise when Clara had stolen him away for a few moments when they'd gotten to London. But all was fair Helen Magnus had been non-existent in his life for six weeks and going on. Little word and nothing else from her and left him far alone and to his own devices. And he'd loved Clara.

Taking a deep breath he began to get up and dress. Not only had she lost a close friend and ex-lover, her daughter, but she'd lost her protégé and fledging relationship or whatever it was that they had. He took a deep breath; he had work to do, he didn't have time to contemplate everything that he might have messed up. He needed to keep the Sanctuary running in whatever tidal wave was taking over his boss. Once again, he was left to pick up the pieces. But, it was fair, she often did the same with him.


	5. Eulogy

He had left her standing in the chapel of the Sanctuary staring at the coffin that was empty and cold with no body resting inside. They'd had no real service. They had all gathered at a specific time and stood there quietly until they felt they could place their item into the casket and step back for a moment. He'd left her there, by herself giving her time to breathe and do what she needed it to do. He had finished up some work in his office before heading to his room and lying down. He was completely exhausted: the strain and drain of not only that day, but the last week and months finally hit him full force.

After stripping he'd reclined in his bed and turned his head to the window. The drapes were mostly drawn but he could see the moon as it moved over their heads, or at the least the light that the moon was giving off. He must have slipped into slumber because there was a warm hand on his cheek that woke up. His eyes blinked open and he saw her sitting on the edge of his bed staring at him. "I'm sorry," her voice was so soft. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's fine." His voice was gruff and completely filled with sleep. He moved to sit and rest against the headboard. "Is everything alright?" He watched as she paused and debated before she shook her head and let her face drop. "Hey, it's ok." His hand covered hers in his lap and he brushed a gentle finger over the back of it, feeling the soft skin. "Wanna talk?"

She didn't give an answer. Instead she pulled the blankets off his body and slid under them and into his lap. His legs were on either side of her and her back rested against his chest. He took her hands and wrapped them in his resting them on her abdomen. She was wearing yoga pants and a tank so she had obviously been back to her room to change. He dropped a kiss to her shoulder and cheek and relaxed back as much as he could, the awkward angle sure to hurt his back in the morning. His feet crossed over her legs and he pressed cold toes into her calves to warm. "I miss her." He could hear that she had been crying for hours, her voice was hoarse and low and her nose stuffed. "She's my life, Will. How can I go on without her?"

For a long time he didn't answer her, his mind searching for the correct words to say. He'd been through years of training on how to deal with loss and grief, but there was nothing that he could say that would make anything better. He couldn't fix this. The air was released from his lungs and finally he spoke. "You aren't without her. She will always be with you. You are never truly alone."

She nodded and once again silence overtook them until he couldn't sit there any longer. He had to move, his back was hurting and he was fairly sure she was falling asleep on him again. He started to wiggle around, because he really didn't want to move if he didn't have to and eventually she sat up and turned to look at him. "Mind if I stay?"

"Anytime."

He slid down and grimaced when she moved from between his legs to his side. His back and ribs were aching from the position he had been sitting in for hours. He was laying on his back with his arm under her head and her body half leaning on his. She had her eyes open and was staring at the moonlight through the shades that were mostly drawn. Will was watching her, his hand playing in her hair lifting the heavy locks, sliding his fingers through them and then letting it fall to the bed below. He wasn't timing her, but an hour must have passed before she leaned up on her elbow and looked him in the face.

Watching carefully he waited for her to either speak or to move or anything. She took a finger and traced his lips before bending down to kiss him softly and slowly. Her lips parted and he followed suit, her tongue rolling around with his. His hand that was playing with her hair tangled in her locks and brought her head closer, her body pressed deeper into his her breasts against his chest. Her hand moved down his chest to the elastic waist of his boxers. Her fingers slid from one side to the other and then back up to press against the top of his chest. Pulling back slightly, she let her teeth scrape against his lower lip before her mouth was hard against his again.

Helen grinned and took his hand in hers pressing it up under her shirt slowly gliding it higher as she pecked his lips and leaned back against the mattress. Will let her move his hand and allowed his body to turn into hers so he was propped on an elbow on his side until his fingers brushed her bare breast. He was kissing her tediously and not moving unless she did it for him. "Helen," his lips were on hers and his breath being forced between her lips. She ignored him and raised her head to kiss him again, her hand leaving his where it was and grasping his cheeks.

He moved his hand down to her hip and adjusted his body slightly. He slowed her feverish kiss until he could break from her whispering her name again. "Helen. If you still want this in the morning then I will, but not tonight." He kissed her again tenderly and pulled the edge of her shirt down to cover her belly where it had ridden up. She leaned back and traced her thumb over his lips as he was still leaning above her. Her eyes were wet with unshed tears and her body weary. "I want to know that this isn't because you're lonely; that it isn't because Ashley died. I want to know that this is because you want it, free of any bad things that have happened."

Leaning down he kissed her tenderly feeling the tear slip from the corner of her eye and fall to the dry mattress below. He kissed her forehead and rolled onto his back waiting for her to leave. He was sure that she would want to. Closing his eyes he turned onto his side and faced away from her. He was tired; it wasn't that he didn't want to be there for her, or that he couldn't be, he honestly just needed a break from it all. When she curved up against his back he was surprised and when her hot break hit the back of his neck he shivered lightly. Her arm snaked around to his front and she sighed burying her nose into his skin.

"I'm alone."

"Are you?"

"Please don't make me leave." His fingers twined with hers against his abdomen and he held on to her hand tightly.

"Never planned on it." He could feel her nod against his back and held on to her tightly. When her arm went numb she shifted and he rolled so that she could once again lay half on top of him. Her lips pressed to his hot neck and she closed her eyes drawing his scent in deeply.

"I smell her almost everywhere." Her voice was quiet, a whisper on the silence and he let her speak without probing further. He didn't want to push where it wasn't necessary. "It's like wisps of who she once was teasing me about her still being alive." Her finger began to draw on his chest and his hand was once again playing with her hair. "All of my senses are telling me that she is still alive, every part of my being. But it's not true. It lies."

His other hand reached up and caressed her waist and hip, his thumb moving back and forth. He dropped a kiss to the top of her head and held her tightly against him. He wasn't going to talk, she needed to and he would let her.

"For the record, Will. I do want this to happen, but you were right. Not tonight." She kissed his neck once again and settled her head back down. "Thank you, for being honest."

"Always." Her body was being soothed and she was relaxing incrementally as the night wore on. It wasn't long before she had slipped into a deep state of sleep and he was watching her. "Always." He whispered it again before drawing in a deep breath and hiding his face in the top of her head and falling asleep himself.


	6. Next Tuesday

He had all but given up on her. She was frustrating him to no end and he was absolutely done being patient with her. It had been months since Ashley had died and months since she had crawled into his bed to seduce him. He'd seen little of her since; she'd kept to herself, left for a mission on her own, and drugged herself until she was absolutely certifiably insane. She had no only ruined what he was using as his vacation but she ruined what was supposed to be his first time meeting a woman that after talking to her for ages online he was very, very interested in meeting.

They had slept the majority of their journey back to the Sanctuary. After treading water for hours on end they both severely needed the rest. She'd let someone else fly the plane, paid for the first class tickets and rested her head on his shoulder as soon as they were seated and was out like a light. It had taken him a bit longer to actually fall asleep and it had only happened because of pure exhaustion. His cheek was pressed into her hair that was damp from a refreshing and warming shower that she'd taken only hours before. She said that she would have dried it, but all she wanted was her own bed.

Will woke to her lightly shaking him, when his eyes finally started to focus he realized that he was still on the plane. She was opening a small bottle of water and holding it out for him. "You really need to drink this, keep hydrated." His hand grabbed hers when she left the water bottle on his tray and started to move back to hers. He turned it so he could look at the skin that was scratched up. Taking it, he pressed his lips to the torn up skin hearing her soft intake of breath. "Drink the water Will." She chided lightly but didn't remove her hand from his. She was sipping at her own bottle while he worked himself into the waking world.

"You do know," he took another sip of water before turning his head to look at her profile, "that I'm never flying in another thing that you're piloting right?"

She was grinning and giggling, "We'll see."

"Helen…" He waited until she turned to face him, the smile falling from her lips at the serious tone and look he was giving her. "Where have you been?"

"Not far." She rested her head against his shoulder again. They were in quiet silence for quite some time before she spoke again. "I wasn't planning on going."

"To Munich?" He drew in half to the water bottle and swallowed. He really was desperately thirsty which was surprising after being stuck in a decommissioned oil rig for hours on end. "I didn't think you would."

"Why is that?"

"He's not exactly your style."

She removed her head and stared at him. "And what exactly do you know of my style?" She wasn't angry with him, though the indignant tone she allowed to lace her voice demanded an answer from him.

Lifting his left hand to her cheek he cradled her face gently. Eyes flicked down to her lips then back to her blue orbs that were still waiting for an answer. "His hands are too soft." The grin he gave was so cheeky that she couldn't help but quirk her lips back at him. He leaned forward and pressed his mouth softly against hers.

She pulled back and dropped her head to his shoulder again. "I haven't forgotten what I told you."

"Good." He rested his head atop hers once again and they slept the majority of the rest of their flights. The rest of the time was spent with her shoving water down his throat claiming that he was far too dehydrated for his own good. It was just past midnight when Biggie picked them up and Will was realizing that the unfortunate aspect to sleeping on the flight, he was not tired at all.

The two of them were walking through the halls to the residential wing and when they reached his door she took his wrist firmly with her hand and continued on down to her own room. His stomach dropped and started to twist violently, he had not been expecting this. She dropped her small bag by her feet and took his from his hands before dropping it next to hers. She moved and shut the door behind them all without him moving. She took his hands and stood before him and started to walk slowly backwards toward her bed.

She stopped and was kissing him, her hands threaded through his hair and holding him steady and close to her. Slipping out of her heels he felt the change in angle as she was suddenly an inch or two shorter than him and no longer on an fairly equal plane. Her hands moved down his chest and over his polo to his hips. Will allowed his fingers to play with her hair until she shuffled slightly and he moved his hands to hold her hips. Helen was unbuttoning her blouse and grinning at him while his eyes glued to her fingers. His traced the line of her bra and smirked before letting the look fall from his face. "You wouldn't let me watch before."

"Do you like to watch?" She pulled the edges of her blouse from her skirt and was tugged back into his body.

"Sometimes." His hands roamed over her hot skin, her front and her back. Lips were planted on hers and he scraped his teeth along her lower lip before plunging his tongue into her mouth. Her fingers twisted in the hem of his shirt and she started to pull it up and over his head. She stepped back when the material was clear from his body and admired his body.

It wasn't perfect, her fingers traced over a scar low on his abdomen from when he'd had his appendix removed, a small spot on his arm where one of the Ashley gang had nicked him with a claw. She stopped looking at the scars then and only looked at his form and skin. His muscles were stronger than when he'd first entered under her tutelage, he had begun working out and the necessity of their situations had added to his physique. Nails scraped from his chest down over his stomach and she noted the slight pouch that was there. It was probably from one too many beers in college, it was difficult to lose. She smiled when she saw that the movement of her nails over his skin caused his stomach to flutter, she had hit a ticklish spot. Noting it in the back of her mind she stepped closer to him and rested her lips against his. "Do you want to watch tonight?"

He shook his head and expected an embrace but she didn't give it. Her neck craned and her lips hit his pulse point. She started a line down his neck letting her tongue flick out and over each bit of skin that she could reach. Her tongue flicked over his nipple before she surrounded it with her teeth. Pulling back the skin pulled tight and he let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding when her lips finally released him. She slid back against him and flicked her tongue back and forth in a rapid rhythm until his hand jerked her back from his body. His mouth crushed against hers and he started to shove her open blouse off her shoulders.

When the material fluttered to the ground he pushed her back onto the bed and toed off his shoes while she situated herself against the pillows. He crawled up and over her, his legs straddling her body before he leaned down and sucked on her neck, her hands were thrown above her head and she opened herself, letting him have his way with her. The skin was hot against his lips and he could feel her heart race beneath his mouth. He took his time working his way down to the tops of her breasts; his fingers were sliding around the high waist of her skirt.

He stopped when he heard the phone ring on her nightstand beside them. He turned his head to look at it before looking back at her. "Ignore it." Her fingers tangled in his hair and brought his lips to hers again. He blocked the sound from his ears and rolled so that she was on top of him. His fingers slid up from her knees to high on her thighs pushing the expensive material as he went. Her skin was so smooth that when the shrill ring hit again he was startled out of his reverie.

Helen ignored it until she heard the radio that was set next to the phone click and sound with her old friend's voice. "Helen." It was gruff and definitely waiting for an answer. When she didn't pick it up right away he spoke again. "Helen."

Sighing heavily she lay next to will and grabbed the offending item off the wood tabletop and depressed the button speaking shortly into the microphone. "Yeah?"

"Need you."

"What is it?" She really didn't want to have to move if she didn't have to. If it wasn't absolutely necessary she would avoid it as much as possible.

"Phone call."

She closed her eyes and felt Will's hand move across her abdomen and his mouth on her breast. "At this hour?" Will's fingers slipped upwards and pulled down the cup of her bra so that he could run his tongue over her already raised nipple.

"It's Jimmy."

She sighed and answered quickly, "Give me a minute." Setting the radio aside she kissed Will very slowly. "If it was anyone else."

"Yeah…" He knew it wasn't true just as much as she did, but he also knew that she wouldn't leave if it wasn't that important. She kissed him again before slipping from the mattress and dressing.


	7. Sleepers

It was late when Will was walking through the corridors. He had finished up speaking with Laura and she had calmed considerably but was still wary about going back to her parents. He wasn't quite sure that he trusted her to not tell, but luckily her mind was young and definitely pliable enough that when he spoke to her with a bit of force and lots of hyperbole he was sure she would keep her mouth shut. He had said something to the effect that the real vampire would be coming after her if they found out she'd told anything about her experience. He was just bringing his report in to Magnus' office so he wouldn't have to do it in the morning and he could sleep in. He stopped short when he heard the quiet banter that was surely her and Tesla talking.

"Every time." He took a deep breath and pushed open the door to find them sipping wine and seated on the yellow sofa. Helen was grinning when she saw him; her eyes alight until she saw the shrouded quality of his. "Hey, I was just dropping this off." He raised the file in his hand so that she could see it and made his way over to her desk.

"Thank you."

"Yeah, no prob."

She saw his shoulders tighten and stiffen as he made his way out of the archway to head to his room. When she looked over at Nikola he was giving her a funny expression. She watched as Will high-tailed it out of her office and took another sip of wine. "I think I need to speak with him, I'll be right back." She patted his leg lightly and rose, setting her wine glass on the small table in front of them she walked out of the room. She hurried down the hall as soon as she was out of Nikola's sight and called out Will's name.

He heard her voice and stopped at the end of the hall waiting for her to catch up. She slowed and took her time but when he expected her body to stop moving and stand in front of him to talk, she didn't. She moved right into him and planted her lips heavily on his, her fingers threading into his hair and keeping his mouth on hers. She was done waiting. And she was done with interruptions. Will had his hands around her waist, his fingers tightly circling her and she pressed further into him. Her hands slid down his shoulders to grasp his hands and she bit her lip lightly before turning and walking towards the residential wing not waiting for him to follow.

Almost stumbling over his own two feet he finally took a step towards her. He caught up just as she reached his room and he opened the door for her. "I figured you'd want your room."

"I'd rather, but Nikola is here and he has a habit of popping into my room in the middle of the night for a chat or some idea or another that he has."

"Really?"

"Yeah…" She looked him over quickly as they stood awkwardly talking two feet from the bed. "Why do you think I have a gun under my pillow?"

"Honestly?" He gave her a very large smile. "You really have to ask that with some of the abnormals we have here?"

"Point taken, Will." She started and stopped causing an awkward pause in their conversation. There was a disconnect from what they were planning on doing and what they wanted to do from what they were talking about and one of them needed to mend that if at all possible. She gave a sly smile, her eyes crinkling at the corners and started to slowly unbutton the front of her dress, her eyes not leaving his face as he watched her.

The blue dress had buttons half down the front and when they were undone she slipped it from her shoulders all the while biting her lower lip and letting her lashes lay heavily over her eyes. She was playing at coy. Will took a moment before watching her slip out of her shoes and push the dress over her hips staring as it pooled at her feet. Grinning he took her by the waist and tossed her on the bed suddenly so she bounced up and giggled. He unbuckled his belt and had his shoes off in about three seconds flat and was leaning over her on the bed, her chest rather close to his lips. He reached up further and planted his mouth on hers. "You don't think Tesla will come in here looking for you do you?"

"Not a chance and if he does, I'm shooting him."

"No gun."

"I'll find one." She giggled and he bit the top of her breast leaving a red welt in his wake when he pushed further onto the mattress and followed her body as she crab walked backwards.

"Maybe I should lock the door just in case." He was pulling at her underwear and his lips were leaving wet imprints as he continued down her body.

"I think…" She took a deep breath trying to calm her body. "I think it's fine."

He was on his knees in front of her body staring at her eyes as they became unfocused and unclear. He'd slid a finger into the warm recesses of her body and his thumb was starting to track slow circles over her clit. "You're sure?"

Her answer came on a moan and a breath released from deep in her chest. "Uh huh…" She was clenching her jaw when he pressed harder into her. Her knees slipped further open and he rested down on top of her, his lips pressing into her hot skin before he shifted and was on his side facing her. He watched as her body began to shake and tremble before him. He shifted the pattern his thumb had created and caught her off-guard. The breath caused a slight whistle in her lungs when she drew it in and her body tightened suddenly before relaxing into the new rhythm.

Cupping her cheek with his other hand he brought her lips carefully and slowly to his. "I want to taste you." She nodded and he moved back to his knees but continued to use his hand only. Her hips were moving and when her eyes locked with his before becoming unfocused she saw the clear pleasure and satisfaction in the small smile on his lips. Her body jerked forward and there was a pop in her lower back that happened at the same moment. She ignored the sound and focused only on the sensations ringing through her body. She almost didn't notice when his lips were against her. Her legs were spread further and he kissed her lightly where his thumb had been before drawing the skin between his lips and suckling. The nerves in her body kicked into high-gear then and her muscles spasmed around his fingers tightly.

The flush wasn't leaving her body as he continued and she felt the second wave of orgasm take over her just as hard as the first one. She took a deep wet breath when she could and waited for him to slide into her. But he didn't. Opening her eyes she looked down to find his chin resting on her belly and his eyes watching her carefully, a smug look plastered onto his features. "Are you…"

"Greedy a bit are you now?" He chuckled at the incredulous and faux offended look she gave him.

"Why William… you cheeky monkey." She was giggling and he moved further up her body to rest on his back on the opposite side of her, where the pillows were. His feet were still hanging off the edge of the bed; they were laying sideways on it after all. She curled into his body and started to press kisses to his chest. She would have taken it slow but she feared Nikola would be wandering the halls looking for her. She pulled his nipple into her mouth and sucked, swirling her tongue over the tiny nub before hoisting herself to sit atop him.

The grin she received when she reached back to unhook her bra was of pure desire and lust. She started giggling and pulled her hair out of her face so that she could see him more clearly. Bending down she rubbed her lips over his. He was gripping her hips and watching carefully as she moved. It wasn't long until he slipped his hand between them and grasped himself so she could lower herself down. She was slow to start moving and the angle was odd because half of his back was propped on the pillows at the head of the bed as well as one of her knees. It wasn't too long before Will gave up and tipped their bodies so that they were side by side and then eventually so he was pressed between her parted knees.

He was slipping in and out of her at a far faster pace than she had been going. The flush was creeping up his skin and his face reddened with the effort that he was exerting. Her hands were swirling all over his body soothing the muscles as they pulled and released with his movements. Her head was off the edge of the bed when she felt him jerk and the heat fill her body. They shifted almost immediately afterwards and were finally laying the correct direction on the bed. He pressed his chin into the top of her head and pecked her lips tenderly before slipping into a quiet sleep.


	8. Kali III

"Will." She looked him over as he stood before her, his beard overgrown and his hair amiss. She didn't look any better by his judging look. Her hair had dried in tight rings and she looked pale. She was still wearing the clothes he had last seen her in and there were dark circles under her eyes.

"Hey… you ok?"

"Yeah… you?"

It was as if they were in the middle of a standoff. So much had happened since the last time they had a moment: so much that he couldn't explain and couldn't believe had even happened to him or her for that matter.

"Yeah."

"Good, did Ravi look you over?" She was walking passed him and further into his room.

He rubbed a hand over his cheek and moved to sit on his bed. She was still standing in the center of the room awkwardly watching him. "Yeah, he looked me over. I'm fine."

"You died."

"Yeah, you almost did."

She nodded and looked away from him. The conversation was going nowhere fast and she really was exhausted. Taking a step forward she wrapped her arms around his middle. "Let's just sleep for now."

"You don't want to clean up a bit." Drawing in his scent deeply she really didn't want to move. His body was so warm and she hadn't been able to get rid of the chill in her bones since she'd been fished out after crashing the helicopter. "Come on." He started to guide her towards the bathroom. He started the shower before turning her and slowly unbuttoning her shirt. She started to help him when he went for her belt and left her camisole alone. She pulled it up over her head and was completely undressed while he remained clothed.

"Are you joining?"

"Um…yeah sure." She stepped under the hot spray and shivered as the warmth took over her body. She waited patiently for him to undress and join her. She wrapped her arms around him again and pulled him under the spray. He wasn't fond of showering with other people because it meant that one of them was usually left out of the water, and he was sure that it was going to be him this time with the way she was shivering.

"It's not over, you know." Her voice was quiet and her face resting on his shoulder the water pounding against her back.

"What's not over?"

"This whole political coup. Wexford started it, and it hasn't ended just because Bertha is back in containment."

"Yeah." He ran his fingers over her back and sides soothing her weary muscles. "We'll talk about it later." She nodded and turned back into the spray of the water letting it run over her chest and front while her back was pressed against him. He grabbed his bottle of shampoo and handed it to her. She scrunched her nose lightly but took it and poured a good dollop into the palm of her hand. She handed it back before rubbing her fingers together and starting on her hair.

She did feel dirty. She'd been in water the majority of the time but she felt grimy. Her fingers on her scalp felt heavenly and she was losing herself to the sensation of the hot water, steam and Will standing behind her gently stroking his fingers over her body. He wasn't enticing her body into arousal, he was simply being comforting, and it was something that she hadn't experienced in a long time. She turned and rinsed her hair, her eyes closed and her breathing was the only sound in her ear drums.

When she emerged from the stream of water her eyes locked on his face, a sad expression filling them. She turned their bodies so that he was under the water and his head was wet. She reached to the side while he shampooed his own hair and grabbed the conditioner. She was focused entirely on working the lotion into her hair and wasn't paying attention to what he was doing. He'd finished cleaning himself and stepped out of the shower leaving her alone under the spray. He grabbed a towel and dried his body before pulling his sleep clothes on again.

He was so tired. He just wanted to sleep and at that moment, he didn't care if she was in the bed with him or not. He brushed the damp towel over his hair and looked back at the bathroom to see her standing there with a towel wrapped around her body. "Will? Is everything alright?" She moved over to him and brushed a hand down his arm.

"Yeah, Magnus. Everything's fine." His tones were short and quipped and he dropped the towel to the floor. He slipped into the bed and waited to see if she would join him or not. Helen stared at his form before drying her body and her hair as best as possible. She turned off the lights and slipped under the covers. She was on her back for a good twenty minutes staring into the dark before she turned to curl against him. Her arm was over his abdomen and his fingers grasped her wrist lightly.

She lifted up on her elbow and looked down on him before moving forward to gently run her lips over his. His hand slipped from her wrist into her wet locks and deepened the embrace. Slowing the kiss she leaned her forehead against his drawing in his scent that was completely surrounding her. "Do you mind if I stay?"

She had asked him that before and his answer would always be the same. He could never tell her to leave. "Always." He pulled her down and the blankets up letting her curve into him and hoping that sleep and exhaustion would take over their bodies and minds. She was asleep first, he felt when her breathing evened out and her entire body relaxed. The morning would be another battle that they would have to fight. Only this time it was for her.

Morning rolled around far too soon and she was early to rise. Dressing quickly in a suit skirt that was her norm she sipped at a cup of tea while watching him slumber. When he woke, he was still lying on the bed and she was sitting next to him with her hand over his. It had been a whirlwind of a week and she was quite enjoying the quiet moment. She couldn't believe that she had asked him to do that. He had done it for her, she knew he did. He wouldn't have done it had anyone else asked, but because it had been her, he had. She grasped his hand not wanting to let go of it.

They had a quiet moment to themselves, it was something that she hadn't been expecting but was extremely grateful for. The heat was still pounding around them, but she didn't care. Leaning down she brushed lips across his. He kissed her back lightly but pulled away as soon as he could. "Will? What is it?"

He moved to sit cross-legged in front of her, his head in his hands. "You asked me to die."

Air was pulled into her lungs slowly, her chest rising and her eyes locked on his body as he sat in front of her. "I did."

He nodded his head. "Yeah." Time seemed to pass so slowly that he could calculate every moment air was being drawn into his lungs and released. He could see every minute change in her features as she took in what he wasn't saying, as she took in what was passing between them in the moment.

She was calm and patient, not wanting to voice anything that she was thinking. Her fingers were locked in his and her thumb was trailing over the back of his hand and the quiet was permeating through her very being.

The voice ringing through started her into paying close attention to exactly what he was saying. "I don't know if I can handle that." No more words passed between them. She looked over his form and took in the seriousness of the words he had just spoken. She could have very well ruined everything that they had built up slowly. That's what he was saying. He couldn't deal with that aspect. She bit her lip and nodded to him and squeezed his hand where it still lay in hers before standing and leaving the bedroom.


	9. Trail of Blood

"I can't believe you let him get away with so much!" Will was shouting rather loudly at her in her study and she just stood there quietly staring him down. They'd been back from the Colombian highlands two days and Tesla was locked in the library with the holographic map and Magnus was leaning against her desk with a very angry and frustrated protégé yelling at her. "This is ridiculous Magnus, he's been trailing you around for more than a century and you let him walk all over you every time! Every time, Magnus. It never changes." His hands were moving wildly and his eyes were bulging slightly from his sockets.

"Will—"

"Don't!" He turned on his heel and stalked from the great stone archway to the window and started back again before he continued speaking. "I can't believe you let him do it. Haven't you learned anything from the past?"

"The past always repeats itself."

"That's bullshit. If you wanted to change it you could." Helen paused, her eyes not leaving his constantly moving form. She wanted to know where that statement had come from, but was sure if she pressed she wouldn't necessarily get an answer. He stopped at the window eventually and thrust his hands into his jean pockets before rocking back on his heels.

She dipped her head and pushed off the desk. She moved to stand close behind him and was resting just over his shoulder. His arm brushed her front lightly. "Will, I don't expect you to understand the nature of my relationship with Nikola. However, I do expect you to respect it."

"The nature of your relationship. What relationship? He walks in and out and expects you to bend over backwards for him. What do you get out of it?" He turned to look at her sharply, his arms now crossed over his chest and he had taken a step back from her. She had been playing this dance with him ever since they had returned from Mumbai. She would attempt to get close to him physically and he would step away. They would argue constantly and only end up leaving the fight to pick it up later.

She cupped his cheek and turned his face close to hers. "Do you honestly want to know?" His answer was a shake of his head, but she felt she owed him an answer. "Nikola and I have been friends for a very long time. He is essentially the only one left, and I never expect you to understand what that is like and I would never wish that upon you. You are going to have to accept that. I cannot tell him to leave and not come back."

He nodded and waited a full minute before speaking again. "Was it ever more than just friends?" He wasn't sure that he wanted to know the answer, but he was sure that he needed to know.

"If you are talking about sex, then yes Will. But beyond that no." She wrapped a hand around his waist and leaned in to kiss him quickly. "Nikola is very dear to my heart and while he might try my patience quite often, I love him dearly." Will turned away from her and stared out the window again. She let her hands drop. Had she been in another lifetime she would have moved in close to him, she would have wrapped her arms around him from behind and held him tightly. But she was no longer in that time and she couldn't do that. Brushing a hand over his shoulder, she didn't expect him to turn. "I need to speak with my old friend."

He nodded in answer. "We're fine."

"Are we?" He didn't answer and she didn't continue. She squeezed his upper arm lightly after a moment's pause and left the room with her heels clicking on the floor. Will let out a long breath that he hadn't know he was holding. He needed to think. Ever since she had asked him to die everything had been messed up. He waited in her office near to an hour before quietly leaving. What was this to her? A relationship or was it simply a friendship with sex? Was it even a friendship?

That last question was the one that was haunting him. She had done far more than simply keep secrets from him. If it was her intention to have no secrets then she would tell him exactly what was what when everything went down; yet that hadn't happened on more than one occasion and while that was on a professional level, he couldn't help but question if it was also on a personal level. He walking through the halls with wasn't watching where he was going and ended up on the North Tower. His arms were thrown over his chest and he was leaning against the parapet.

The wind was bitingly cold, but he couldn't complain. It was keeping him awake, keeping his mind clear while he tried to work through it all. It would probably be the last night he had for a while to think about things as they were. With the death of Father Jensen, he would have to start working through the malicious nature of his murder. He would also need to closely watch the Big Guy and any other abnormals that came their way after that. He was sure there would be quite a few that would need his special attentions in dealing with the recent loss. This was the only night he would have to try and figure out exactly where she stood with him.

"You've been gone a while." Her voice was quiet and coming from the door.

"Had to think." He called back glancing in her direction. She had grabbed a cardigan and had thrown it over her shoulders.

She shut the door quietly and moved to stand next to him. "Come to any resolutions?"

"Not really." Without any words she wrapped her arm through his and held tightly, weaving their hands together. They stood there a long while, her head resting on his shoulder and the fog rolling in over the docks. "Is this a game to you?" There was no anger in his words, only simple resignation.

"No, never." Before he could speak she turned his body to face her and grasped his face lightly between her hands. "Look, Will… I know I'm not the easiest person to get along with. I get my way, a lot." She raised her eyebrows and smiled, "Even when I probably shouldn't. I'm used to it. I don't open myself up to others and I keep myself as secluded as possible. I am not likely to change."

"I wouldn't want you to, but I do need a bone every once in a while."

"Is that all this is about?"

Will closed his eyes and let out a breath. "No. How could you ask me to die?"

"I don't believe I specifically asked you to do that." She brushed a finger over his lips when he went to speak. "I did imply and suggest that that is what I wanted you to do, Will. There are risks to this job and you know that—"

"What would it have done to you… had I died what would it have done to you?" The words rushed from his mouth and she stepped away from him in surprise. He caught her blinking back the tears just before she turned to face the parapet and New City, her arms wrapped around her. Will gave in and slipped behind her, his hands covering hers and his chin resting on her shoulder. "Don't answer that."

"No, I should…"

"You don't have to." He felt her lean back into him and pressed his lips to her cheek. He wasn't crazy after all: friendship and perhaps a deeper love. He wasn't sure, but he was sure that the feelings were there even if she wasn't expressing them. That was something he was absolutely sure about in that moment. "Please try to not ask me to do that again."

He could hear the grin in her voice when she answered, "I will try my hardest, Will."

"And Tesla… I'll get used to him I suppose." He pressed warm lips to her hot neck and drew in her scent slowly. He closed his eyes and reveled in the feel of her skin against him. It was like heaven, so many wrongs put right. He pulled back suddenly. He was becoming far too sentimental, that was not the purpose. The purpose was that to make any sort of relationship beyond colleagues work with this woman would take hard work and miles of patience that he didn't know he possessed.

Not responding, she remained as she was for a few minutes before turning her neck to capture his lips. Will tightened his grasp around her body and drew in a sharp breath. She turned in his arms and cupped his cheek bringing his lips once again to hers. He skimmed a hand down her side and settled it high on her hip. Her fingers skated down his front and slid over his back as she held him closer. He nuzzled his face into her neck after kissing her temple and they stood there until she pulled him inside and to her room.


	10. Vigilante

Their quiet conversation had simmered down to moments of complete silence. Twenty minutes had passed since he had witnessed the gentle shake in her hands and his concern grew. He was resigned to know that there was nothing he could do, nothing that she would want him to do to settle her growing worry. She knew she was going to die. She was accepting of that fact and he could see it in the way that she refused to look at him and in the words that she didn't say. When he thought enough time had passed he stood and held his hand out to her. Soft, tired and wary eyes looked up at his face before she slipped fingers into his. This was going to be their last night.

Drawing her slowly down the hall he made for her room and locked the door behind them. He was going to take this as tenderly as possible. She would never be this healthy again; she would never be able to exert the energy. They both knew it. Tiredly she pulled off her jacket and hung it over the chair in the corner of the room. She would put it away in the morning. Sitting at her vanity she slowly began to take off her makeup, the mask that he rarely saw her without. Her earrings and her necklace were next and Will watched from the bed where he sat. He pulled his shoes off when she stood after doing the same and moved to him.

Walking between his legs she stopped and bent her head to press lips gently to his. Fingers cupped his cheeks and tilted his head back for a fuller angle while his hands gripped her hips tightly holding her in place. He let her tongue explore his mouth and dance with his while he held her still. He was going to let her set the pace. It wasn't long until she was tugging at his shirt trying to pull it over his head. Breaking the kiss took much longer than he had anticipated, each time he moved away from her she would come back for more. At least until he was laughing at her. She pouted slightly and jerked the material at his waist a few more times until he relinquished and pulled it over his head and off his body.

Softly she rolled her fingers over his skin. Like she had that first time they had been in a similar situation: her hands traced the scars. Carefully she spoke, her eyes riveted to the trail that her hands were making. "I might never see these again." It was as close to a confession of her acceptance of condition that he would ever get from her. Had he known it would help he would have curled her body into his and held on as tightly as possible, but he knew she wouldn't want it and that she wouldn't let him. He curved his hands under her own black shirt and felt the heat from her skin. She had a fever, he was sure of it. Yet it ignored it as her lips came down on his once again.

Leaning back into the bed he felt her kneel with a knee between his legs over his body to keep contact with his mouth. Her thumb found his appendix scar and she traced it heavily until the shiver ran up his spine. Her mouth left his with a pop and she started to nibble along his jaw line, feeling the stubble that had grown in the past few days since he had last shaved. He felt her lips curve when her smooth skin scraped his cheek and the burn from the short hairs slid through her body. The skin on his body was the same until she reached the dip just above his collar bone. Dipping her tongue in and out of it she lavished at him, her nails sliding down his chest and back up until she reached his nipples.

Will stopped pulling her shirt up when she tweaked the sensitive flesh between her fingers. Closing his eyes and drawing in as much air as possible he waited until he felt her stop. Pulling rapidly at her shirt he watched her hair settle again at her shoulders while he dropped the cooling material over the edge of the bed at his knees. She was smiling at him before she reached back and unclasped her bra letting it follow the same path. Palming her breasts he watched her as her body swayed uncontrollably into his form. He gripped her around her waist and stood her up to pull off her pants as well as his. She was just stepping out of them when he pulled down the blankets to the bed and helped her under the covers.

Once he was fully under the blankets with her she rolled on top of him, her body covering his and her hands pressed by his side. Lifting herself carefully she rubbed her lips across his. When she slid her hand across his chest again he felt the slight tremor that started in her wrist and forearm. Pushing the concern to the back of his mind he rolled her onto her back and pulled the blanket that awkwardly caught between their legs. Once untangled he felt her legs widen so he could rest comfortably, his hips hitting hers but his mouth on her neck.

Her chin was moving up and down and her body began to shake under him. He kissed down to the tops of her breasts, but he stopped burying his face in her skin. "Helen…"

"It's fine." She was short and clipped but amended her first tone. "Don't stop on my account."

Drawing in a deep breath he moved his lips back to hers and pressed a soft chaste kiss to her mouth. Taking a moment to think about what he was going to say, he looked in her eyes and assessed the situation. This would be the last time. They both knew she was dying. Kissing her again fully and harder than before, he felt her body melt into his, and the tremors move to the background of his thought and only the feel of her flesh against his in his immediate mind. Fingers pressed against her clit and she felt the pleasure begin to rise throughout her body covering the lingering pain that was causing her muscles to tense.

Her legs were drawn up and she gripped his sides tightly while swirling patterns were made against her bundle of nerves and his mouth worked at her breasts. She swallowed harshly before speaking, "Will…" Taking in deep breaths she said his name again until he finally looked at her. Her eyes were pleading with him, blue so tightly wound on his face and her jaw clenched before relaxing gently. His hand left her body and moved to himself so that he could guide himself into her. She moved with him, feeling the pull and draw of his body on hers. She was biting her lip lightly, the gently sway of her body causing a slight nausea which she ignored.

Will heard the soft whimper in the back of her throat, but with the look she was making on her face he was sure the noise was because of pleasure and not pain. He continued to move into her and slipped his hand down between them once again to play with her body. Helen was pulled over the edge and clenched her fists into his sides before he spilled into her. He waited for moments to pass before sliding to her side and cradling her body against his. Lips were pressed to her neck and cheek and her body curled slightly to minimize the pain that she was feeling.

"Take something…" It was whispered softly into her ear and it wasn't long before she nodded her head and waited for him to retrieve the medication for her. "Here." He handed the glass and two pills to her and watched as she drank. "Sleep in tomorrow, we don't have to leave right away in the morning."

"It won't be necessary."

"Helen…" He drew in a deep breath before continuing, knowing that the battle was not going to be won. "Alright." Taking her hand he slipped back under the blankets and rested until she fell asleep. Will stayed up half the night thinking. He couldn't see a way out of it, this time. He was sure that there was a cure for her condition in Hollow Earth, but that didn't necessarily mean that they would find it, that they would be welcome to have it, that it would freely be given to her. What would they require in exchange for her life? Even in his limited experience of life he knew that rarely did humans give freely without expecting something in return. So what would it be? His fingers carded through her long locks and time slowly passed him by. He really should have been sleeping, but his mind wouldn't shut down. What would he honestly do without her? There was no way that he could replace her in this franchise. He'd known that and this past week or so had only proven that further. He was not cut for the position.

Slipping out of the bed hours later he dressed quietly in the dark and left the room and her sleeping form to finish some paper work and prepare for the morning. They were leaving to go to Hollow Earth. They were going to find a cure. They were going to fix this. She was going to survive and she was going to live. Determination was finally set in his body: he was not going to let her down. Not again.


	11. Hangover

_A/N: So sorry it took so long for me to get to this. I'm hoping the next one won't be as long, but this is my backburner story so I can't guarantee anything. ~~Arones._

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><p>Will couldn't help himself. Three days without sex due to the drug and it seemed as if all his hormones were raging so fast that he was jittery just from thinking about them. Sighing he stepped out of the pool and shook hair until the drops hit the wet ground below. He loved having a pool at the Sanctuary; however, it had done nothing to relieve the pent up sexual energy. He grabbed the towel that was folded and on the bench and brushed it through his hair. A cold shower: that was exactly what he needed.<p>

Stepping under the spray he let it run over his body. He was half-dating a woman. They weren't really dating but they were. It was complicated and definitely not committed at that point. For some reason, he felt the need to run it by Magnus first and not because they'd had sex, but because she was his boss and he trusted her. He shucked his swim trunks off and set them on the hook in the private shower. He was glad that it wasn't an open shower room like at most pools. He was also glad that he was the only one there. Sliding his hand down his body he circled his member and squeezed. He was already hard.

It wasn't long and didn't take much effort. His hand was sliding back and forth, his hips moving with the motion and he already felt the burn at the base of his spine. Breathing in deeply he waited for the burn to become so hot that he couldn't hold on any longer and he would release. That was when he felt the hands, cold and nimble, on his back. The body pressed into his from behind and fingers replaced his in the movement. He was spilling into the other hand that was cupped in front of him.

Before he finished he spun the body from behind him into the water and against the wall of cold tile. His lips latched onto hers and she moaned into him. Bare flesh under his fingers burned as he trailed nails down her chest and abdomen. "Why'd it take you so long to find me?" He whispered the words into her neck as he took a soft bite.

"Work." Her back arched and she dug nails into his biceps. "Will." His name escaped her lips. He heard the desperation, the raw need that he had never heard from her before. His hand flew down and cupped her, fingers probing barely inside and her body rocked. Hitching her leg upwards he slipped two fingers completely inside her and started to pump rapidly. Her breathing increased, her eyes clamped shut and her moans became louder. With each thrust of his hand her voice reverberated around the tiny shower stall and into the locker room.

Slowly she was release all the tension in each of her muscles and slid down until she was standing on the floor. Will grinned, his mouth sliding against hers. "I'm glad you found me, Helen." Their tongues entwined in a slow dance, teeth scraping lightly until she was giggling against his chest.

"So glad, William." Drawing him under the shower stream she let their bodies become drenched with the hot water. She showered kisses over his neck and chest her fingers gripping his hips and holding him close to her body. Rubbing against him, she brought their lips back together in a long and still heated embrace. "Care for a change in scenery?"

"Sure." He pecked her lips and turned the water off slipping away from her to grab his towel. They dried themselves off giving each sweet looks and smiles. It wasn't long until she tugged the towel from around his waist and shoved him into a sitting position. There were only a few lockers and once bench that lined the room but Helen was sure no one would be entering. He was sitting with bare butt on the old polished wood with Helen Magnus standing between his legs hands cupping his cheeks and lips plastered on to his.

"Room's too far. Lay down." He leaned back and twisted his body so that he was lying on the hard bench. Helen kissed him the entire way down her hair covering their heads like a curtain. His hands roved over her back and around her front until he found where the towel was neatly tucked in and holding itself up. He pulled gently and felt the material fall away. Grinning, Helen swung her leg over his body and leaned down straddling him. "This should be interesting."

Will gripped her hips. "Ever had sex on a bench before?"

"No, have you?"

The grin he was giving faltered before becoming larger. "You've _never_ had sex on a bench before? I find this shocking." Helen had scooted down his body and was rolling her tongue over a nipple. "I haven't either."

"Then why is it so shocking."

"'Cause you're Magnus. You're over a hundred years old—"

"Are you calling me old?"

"No…" He watched carefully as her eyes moved up and glittered a smile at him before moving to his other nipple. "Just saying you've had more time to… practice certain places." Her body scooted down further until she was straddling his legs and her mouth hovered over his growing erection.

"I didn't think the shot would have this much of an effect on me."

"You and me both." He grumbled before moaning. Lips and tongue had cascaded down onto him. She swirled her tongue in a circle and pulled with her mouth before going back down. Will's back arched up and he gripped the wood tightly in his fingers at his waist. Teeth scraped up from his base to his tip before running over the sensitive opening. His body shuddered.

The skin along his arms and legs was once again glistening, but this time it was with sweat. His muscles were tense and taut as he tried to hold back the orgasm that was threatening to overtake all his senses. Fingers slipped into her hair and he tugged and tightened the locks in his fist pulling slightly with every up and down movement that she made. He was trying to catch his breath, but it kept getting stuck in his throat. It wasn't much longer until Helen pulled up and walked her way up his body. She kissed him fully.

"You're good at that."

"Uh huh." She grinned and wiggled her body letting her wet mound rub against him savoring the sensations of course hair and pointed bone as it moved against her nerves. Her body felt like it was on fire, as if no matter how many times she came in the next hour she would still be craving more. She lifted up and slid down onto him reveling in the feel of surrounding him. The balls of her feet were the only thing touching the ground and her palms were planted above his head. "Ready, darling?"

"Hmmm, yes." Up and down she moved and he started to ride the waves of pleasure with her. He wasn't going to last that long but looking at her face he was sure that she wasn't either. Her eyes were clenched shut and her jaw clenched as she worked to hold back as long as possible. He felt her in an instant pulling at him, her muscles squeezing him into his own oblivion. She laid down on his chest and breathed deeply calming her own heart rate along with his.

"Care for some more? I believe I can make it to the bedroom now."

"You sure, you're pretty… randy today?"

She was giggling again. "As are you, William; as are you."


End file.
